Arthropodium milleflorum

Arthropodium milleflorum, the pale vanilla lily, is a species of herbaceous perennial plants native to Australia. It occurs in various habitats including alpine areas and grows to height of between 0.3 and 1.3 metres hand a width of and 0.3 metres. The fleshy tubers were eaten by Aboriginal Australians. The plant emits a strong vanilla fragrance, which becomes more noticeable on warm days. Flowering stems appear in late spring and summer, with two or more pendulous white, pale blue, or pink flowers at each node. The tubers are typically 20–30 mm long and 3–5 mm in diameter. Arthropodium minus is a related but smaller species, producing only one flower per node. Plants may be propagated from seeds or by dividing the tubers.

Description

A tufted lily which keeps growing from year to year. It grows 30-50 cm high and spreads 30 cm wide. The roots are fibrous. Some of the roots are fleshy and like tubers. They can be 4 cm long and 1 cm across. They are 4-10 cm below the ground. The leaves are 30 cm long by 1-3 cm wide. They are in dense tufts and can be grey. They are strap like. The flower stems are 50-100 cm long. The flowers are 2 cm across. The flower stalks are 1.5 cm long and they occur in twos or threes. They are on a leafless branched flower stem. The flowers are pale lilac or mauve. The flowers are star shaped and long stiffly spreading stalks. The stamens are densely white and hairy.

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Root Edible Uses: Root - cooked. Rather watery with a slightly sweet or bitter flavour. Plants produce about 4 - 5 tubers up to 3cm long.

Traditional Uses

The slender white tubers are eaten. They can be eaten raw or cooked.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

None known

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It suits moist well drained soils. It grows in hilly and often rocky places. They grow in dry forest and woodlands. It suits light shade but can grow in full sun. It can tolerate frost. Hobart Botanical Gardens. Tasmania Herbarium.

Where It Grows

Australia*, New Caledonia, Tasmania*,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seed or by division.

Propagation

Seed - sow late winter in a cold greenhouse. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on for at least their first winter in a greenhouse. Plant out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in spring.

Other Uses

None known Special Uses Scented Plants

Production

It is hard to locate the tubers after the flowering plant dies back.

Notes

There are 12 Arthropodium species. Also put in the family Laxmanniaceae.

Nutrition

Synonyms

References (25)

• Blomberry, A.M., 1979, Australian Native Plants. Angus and Robertson p 128
• Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 105
• Brickell, C. (Ed.), 1999, The Royal Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. Convent Garden Books. p 142
• Caton, J.M. & Hardwick, R. J., 2016, Field Guide to Useful Native Plants from Temperate Australia. Harbour Publishing House. p 130
• Cherikoff V. & Isaacs, J., The Bush Food Handbook. How to gather, grow, process and cook Australian Wild Foods. Ti Tree Press, Australia p 22, 151, 194

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